Sebastopol World Friends

Not sure where to start! Tuesday started with me not having a voice (well, only a squeak!) and having to say goodbye to my first host family. Kathy and I both packed our bags and said goodbye to the homes we were just starting to figure out as we are moving to new host families Wednesday night. No, we didn`t skip Tuesday night - just spent it together at Mt. Korakami.

We all gathered at the usually (and cival) hour of 8:30am on Tuesday but had to carry with us all we would need for two days of touring plus overnight items. Most were able to make a single backpack work (yipee to packing light!) Lots of exciting touring yesterday and I will let the kids fill you in with all the details but here is the list of highlights I wrote before bed last night:

*With no voice I now have to sign to Americans and Japanese
*Elliot almost set the artist studio on fire (at least Dawson could have sounded the alarm) - no harm done, Moms and it makes a great story!
*Our scheduled hike was cancelled due to a slight rain and I almost didn`t make it on the easy hike we did instead (someone was watching over me)
*At camp, there was a demonstration of how to make up your bed (I use that term loosely) and the counseler was using a scaled down version of bedding...as all the directions were in Japanese we thought the beds were tiny size and had NO idea how we were going to fit!!!!!
*Kathy saved the afternoon (and some of the kids lives) by entertaining all 32 kids for 2 hours of `free` gym time
*Group bathtime (boys and girls were seperated and we wore our bathing suits like good American teenagers) and a rousing rendition of Splish Splash on the female side
*Lots and lots and lots of Japanese discussions about...we have no idea
*Crashing thunder and hail (yes hail) before dinner
*Adult dinner time with NO FISH OR RICE (yipee) and we drank beer with the Priest
*I did the moonwalk and Dave did a card trick to cross language barriers with the siblings

Then off to a wooden plank bunk bed, 2 inch mattress, and what felt like a rock pillow. Ahhhhhh (At least everyone in my cabin snored so I didn`t feel alone.)

Tuesday was a big day!

This morning we woke bright and early, got ourselves together in 30 minutes (and that includes cleaning the room and re-folding the bedding), wished Erin and Elliot a Happy Birthday for the first time in the shadow of Mt. Kurakami (stunning), ate some yogurt, bread, and OJ in the parking lot and loaded the bus for Nagasaki. (Oh yeah, I still can`t talk and Tula has lost her voice too!)

We started at the Peace Park and Museum which was very moving. So glad we saw the movie before arrival as prepared us for the somber atmosphere. All the kids were gracious and appreciative of being able to share in this experience.

Rest of the day was pure fun...harbor cruise with a Bento lunch (delicious) and a little shopping before heading back to Yamauchi.

And a billion pictures! Cheese count for you, Annette, is at 17. Attached are a couple for you. I`m off to find the shower in my new home (very nice family and beautiful log home!) and hit the futon.